Tower of Terror is set to close at one Disney park in less than a week.
Tower of Terror has spent more than three decades as one of Disney’s most recognizable thrill rides. The original opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1994, placing guests inside the abandoned Hollywood Tower Hotel before sending its elevator-style ride vehicles into a series of sudden drops.
Disney later exported the concept to California, Japan, and France, although the attractions did not remain identical. Disneyland Paris refreshed its version in 2019 with three new storylines, new effects, and different drop sequences while preserving its Twilight Zone setting.
California went much further. Disney California Adventure closed its Tower of Terror in early 2017 and reused the building for Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! (although, as per Joe Rohde, the original plan was a Doctor Strange overlay), which opened that May. Florida and Paris still operate Twilight Zone versions, while another Tower follows an entirely different story.
Disney Sets Tower of Terror Closure Date
That version is found at Tokyo DisneySea, where Tower of Terror is now days away from a temporary shutdown. The attraction will close beginning September 28, 2026, leaving September 27 as the final day guests can ride before the scheduled downtime.
The closure is not permanent. Tokyo Disney Resort currently lists Tower of Terror as unavailable from September 28 through November 5, with operations expected to resume November 6. The resort notes that closure periods can change.
Tower of Terror Memorabilia, the attraction’s adjoining merchandise and photo shop, is scheduled to close over the same period. Its capsule toy location is also included on Tokyo Disney Resort’s list of temporary closures.
Disney has not announced a new theme, storyline, or major overhaul for Tower of Terror during the five week shutdown. For now, the resort’s official information continues to describe the existing Harrison Hightower storyline, giving no indication that the attraction is being replaced.
The timing means Tower of Terror will be unavailable for much of Tokyo DisneySea’s 2026 Disney Halloween season, which runs from September 16 through October 31. The park is also celebrating its 25th anniversary with the yearlong Sparkling Jubilee event.
Tokyo’s Tower of Terror itself has just reached a major milestone. The attraction opened on September 4, 2006, during Tokyo DisneySea’s fifth anniversary year, meaning the shutdown comes weeks after it marked 20 years at the park.
Unlike its American and French relatives, the ride does not use The Twilight Zone. Its story centers on Harrison Hightower III, a wealthy explorer who disappeared from the fictional Hotel Hightower in 1899 after acquiring the supposedly cursed Shiriki Utundu idol.
Guests entered the hotel in 1912, after the New York City Preservation Society had restored the building and begun offering tours. The roughly two-minute attraction carries 22 guests per elevator cabin and has a 102-centimeter height requirement.
Major Changes Continue Across Tokyo Disney Resort
Tower of Terror’s temporary closure comes during a much broader period of change at Tokyo Disney Resort, where multiple longstanding attractions are disappearing, being rebuilt, or giving way to new projects.
Earlier this month, Tokyo DisneySea permanently closed Aquatopia. The opening day Port Discovery attraction carried its final guests on September 14 after 25 years, ending a run that began when the park itself opened in 2001.
Its removal could eventually make way for larger changes. Oriental Land Company, which owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort, has previously shown concept artwork exploring a major redevelopment of Port Discovery, although it has not announced a confirmed replacement for Aquatopia.
The resort’s most concrete construction project is next door at Tokyo Disneyland. Tomorrowland is undergoing a major redevelopment that will bring several new offerings beginning in 2027.
That includes Space Mountain Earthrise, an all-new replacement for the original Space Mountain. Disney says the indoor roller coaster will use a newly developed ride system, new architecture, immersive effects, and onboard audio — a first for a roller coaster at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Also arriving next spring is Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue, a Wreck-It Ralph-inspired indoor attraction replacing Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters. Guests will enter the Sugar Rush game world and work with Ralph and Vanellope to transform destructive Sugar Bugs back into sweets.
Have you ever experienced Tokyo Disney Resort’s version of Tower of Terror?
